For personalizing computerized customer service

ABSTRACT

A method and system for improving user satisfaction with a computer system that includes a computer. The computer prompts a user at a user machine to select a language usage pattern preference from at least two language usage pattern preference choices respectively including at least two text passages, each text passage expressing different text. After the prompting, the computer receives from the user machine a language usage pattern preference selected by the user from the at least two language usage pattern preference choices. The computer stores, in a user profile of the user located in a database accessible to the computer, a flag indicative of the selected language usage pattern preference.

This application is a continuation application claiming priority to Ser.No. 12/285,387, filed Oct. 3, 2008, which is a continuation of Ser.No.10/606,683, filed Jun. 26, 2003, U.S. Pat. No. 7,515,694, issued Apr.7, 2009.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to facilitating interaction between a userand an information handling system. More particularly, it relates totailoring subsequent system messages to a user as a function of theuser's individual language pattern as determined from a first usersystem interaction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a well known practice for Web sites, particularly those involvinge-commerce, to prompt a user to choose a specific language upon enteringthe site. Thereafter, the user is presented site data in the chosenlanguage. For example, a user selection of “UK” as opposed to “USA” willcause subsequently presented site data to have UK English spellings,idioms, currency and the like. Every user, however, selecting a givenlanguage receives the exact same presentation of site data. In a similarmanner, users of voice mail menus are early on presented with theopportunity to select a language in which to continue, e.g. English orSpanish. After making a specific language choice, every user choosingthe same language receives the same subsequent messages.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,290 discloses a a system and method for presentingcustomized, personalized advice for a customer of a financialinstitution based on a customer profile generated by the systemaccording to an analysis of the totality of the customer's interactionwith the system. This system, and method, accommodates customer entrythrough a variety of modes including via a Web site, over a telephoneline, at a kiosk and through an automated teller machine (ATM). Acustomer profile is maintained which includes a customer's choice oflanguage and gender of voice used in presenting oral information. Manyother aspects of personalized customer characteristics are alsomaintained relating to the customer's prior relationship history,financial status and product preferences.

It is generally accepted that people perceive information as morecredible and more helpful when that information is phrased, orally or inwriting, using pronouns in the person matching the speakers' typicalusage. While users of computerized systems are in many ways presentedinformation by those systems, which information is customized on manylevels, it would be desirable to present information subsequent to auser's first contact with an automated computer system in a stylematching that user's usual, and therefore assumed, preferred languageusage pattern.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and system for dynamicallyadjusting the language usage pattern of messages from an automatedcomputer system to the user as a function of that user's previouslystored language usage pattern preferences. This feature is independentof the actual language spoken/written by the user. As used herein,language usage pattern includes, but is not limited to, personal pronounpreference, pacing, and volume.

The present invention in a preferred embodiment contemplates pluralmodes of user access to the automated computer system, such as via a Website or via telephone. The present invention comprises front-end add onsoftware, adaptable to existing automated, interactive computer systems,for determining user preferences in pronoun person and other componentsof a given user's language usage pattern.

The inventive method, as implemented in software adapted for use whenviewing a Web site, first presents textual information to a user uponuser entry into a system having the present invention. The user isprompted to select preferable paragraphs and/or phrases the userdetermines as more interesting or more helpful. These selectedpreferences become part of a user profile maintained by the system.Thereafter, any remaining text to be shown to the user is dynamicallyadjusted for presentation to the user in accordance with the user'spreviously designated and stored preferences.

When implemented in conjunction with a voice recognition application thepresent invention presents questions to a user upon first entry into thesystem, i.e., the user's first phone call. User answers are parsed forpronoun person usage, pacing and volume. This information is stored inthe user profile maintained by the system. Thereafter, subsequentmessages are presented to the user in a style corresponding to thatuser's language usage pattern.

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionwhich is presented having reference to the accompanying figures, whereinlike reference numerals and symbols are used throughout to denote thesame elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically depicts elements in a visual system embodying thepresent invention; and

FIG. 2 illustrates elements of the present invention in an aural system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is preferably embodied in software which is usedin conjunction with a Web site or the like as well as with telephonicsystems having voice recognition and generation capabilities. Thepresent invention provides a more personalized experience for a userinteracting visually or aurally with an automated system, therebyimproving overall user satisfaction.

As noted above, some levels of personalization are available forinteractive computer systems. The method of the present inventionrepresents an improvement over what is currently available by moreclosely matching computer generated and delivered information to theuser's preferred language usage patterns. modifying the style but notthe substance of the information provided to the user.

Style sheets are known and principally comprise a summary of editorialconventions to be followed in preparing text for publication or othermode of presentation. Visual style sheets include such features as font,color, page layout and the like but have no effect on the substantivecontent of the information conveyed.

In a similar manner, aural style sheets include definitions of suchaspects as volume, pitch, pronunciation rules, speed as well as suchconventions pertaining to how and whether numerals and punctuation marksare presented. Aural style sheets, like conventional style sheets,affect expression rather than the substantive content of the conveyedinformation.

Using the present invention, in essence, provides visual and aural stylesheets enhanced with entries which change substantive aspects of thecomputer generated and delivered information including personal pronounsand pacing.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention in agraphical interactive computer system will be described. A user machine10, equipped with a Web browser or the like, is shown bidirectionallyconnected via the Web 14 to Web application 16 which includes thepresent invention. Web application 16 interfaces with a database 24 atwhich user profiles may be created and maintained. Web application 16connects with a Web site 32 as those skilled in the art will understand.

In operation, the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, provides a user uponan attempt to access Web site 32, to then be presented choices by Webapplication 16. These choices are preferably designed to includerelatively short text passages representing a variety of language usagepatterns, one of which may be selected by the user. Thereafter, Webapplication 16 creates a user profile 36 in database 24. Any furthercommunication between Web site 32 and user machine 10 passes through Webapplication 16 which applies the user profile to information generatedby Web site 32 before it is presented to the user.

Text presented by Web application 16 to a user from which the userchooses may, for example, contain identifying parameters which will besaved in database 24. These parameters are not seen by the user. Ratherthey are flags saved in the database. In the case of pronoun choice, forexample, three paragraphs could be presented by Web application 16 tothe user. The paragraphs would be pre-written using ‘I-You’, ‘We-They’and ‘I-They’. The user would be prompted to select the paragraph foundmost pleasing. Upon user selection of a paragraph, Web application 16would store an appropriate, corresponding flag in database 24.Thereafter, Web application 16 would check the user selected pronouncombination flag in database 24 before presenting any further writtencontent to the user and present that content modified to correspond tothe user's choice. The content is dynamically modified beforepresentation based on grammatical rules established in the programminglogic.

An implementation of the present invention in an interactive telephonicapplication will now be described having reference to FIG. 2 whichillustrates data flow from the user to and from the computerized system.A user accesses the system of FIG. 2 via telephone 50 in a conventionalmanner. The present invention is included in server 56 which runs voiceprocessing software and is connected to database 68 for storing customerprofile information. Connected also to database 68 is automated voiceresponse database 72. Thus, the user may first be prompted to supplyanswers to questions presented by server 56, which answers are analyzedto determine the user's preferred language usage preferences as earlierdescribed. Further, the software of the present invention in server 56determines from its analysis of user responses what settings to put inplace for pacing, volume and gender of the voice to be generated toconvey information from the automated telephonic application. A customerprofile containing these values is created and stored in database 68. Aprofile stored in database 68 is applied to any data to be subsequentlypresented to the user from database 62 before that data is input toserver 74. Server 74 includes means for generating an aural response tothe user of the information from voice response database 72 viatelephone 50.

The use of the method of the invention is particularly beneficial withsystems such as those used by vehicle rental companies and financialmanagement concerns, but may be adapted to other systems where usersatisfaction with a transactional experience is important.

In operation, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in avoice based system begins when a user calls into a financial portfoliomanagement company or the like. The system greets the user with a voicegenerated message essentially asking “What would you like to do today?”The application of the present invention then parses the user's responseto identify three key factors or parameters: pacing of speech; volume ofspeech; and gender of speech. These factors are saved in database aspart of the user profile. Pacing of speech is saved as words per second.Volume is saved as a decibel level, and gender is saved as male orfemale as a function of the speaker's (user's) frequency range.Thereafter, for the remainder of the transaction any voice generatedresponses to the user are modified to utilize the identified and savedparameters. For the rest of the call pacing is set a words per secondrate matching that of the user. Volume is set within a decibel levelrange having predetermined upper and lower limits chosen as a functionof the saved user's decibel level. Gender of the saved user parameter isused to select voice response gender.

Those having skill in the art will appreciate that other question andresponse analyses may be implemented and that a user may be presentedwith other optional parameters to characterize the remainder of thetelephonic transaction.

The present invention provides a more pleasing online or telephonictransaction experience for a user by analyzing user input at thebeginning of a transaction and using the results of the analysis tomodify the style of the visual or aural, respectively, contentthereafter presented to the user. In an online embodiment the user isprompted to choose a style. In a telephonic application the user's vocalinput is parsed to determine parameters governing content deliverystyle.

The above noted and other modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention as described in theclaims appended below.

1. A method for improving user satisfaction of a user at a user machine,said method comprising: prompting, by a computer, a user at the usermachine to select a language usage pattern preference from a pluralityof language usage pattern preference choices respectively comprising aplurality of text passages, each text passage expressing different text;after said prompting, said computer receiving from the user machine alanguage usage pattern preference selected by the user from theplurality of language usage pattern preference choices; and saidcomputer storing, in a user profile of the user located in a databaseaccessible to the computer, a flag indicative of the selected languageusage pattern preference.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each textpassage comprises a different one or more personal pronouns notcomprised by any other text passage of the plurality of text passages.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of language usagepattern preference choices consist of three language usage patternpreference choices respectively comprising three text passages.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: after saidstoring the flag, said computer ascertaining, from the stored flag, theselected language usage pattern preference.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the computer is located at a web site, wherein the user machineis separated from the web site by a web network, and wherein the methodfurther comprises: said computer detecting an attempt by the usermachine to access the web site via the web network, wherein saidprompting is in response to said detecting.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein the method further comprises: after said storing the flag, saidcomputer ascertaining, from the stored flag, the selected language usagepattern preference; after said ascertaining, said computer modifyingtext content to be presented to the user, said modifying comprisingapplying grammatical rules to the ascertained language usage patternpreference; and said computer providing the modified text content to theuser computer for presentation to the user.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the user machine is a telephone, and wherein the method furthercomprises: said computer querying the user at the telephone to determinepreferred voice qualities while the computer is engaged in telephonecommunication with the user via the telephone; said computer receiving,from the user at the telephone, responses to said querying; saidcomputer determining from the responses received from the user, usingvoice recognition functions of the telephonic response system, thepreferred voice qualities; and said computer storing, in the userprofile, the preferred voice qualities determined from the responsesreceived from the user.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the methodfurther comprises: after said storing the preferred voice qualities,said computer accessing the stored preferred voice qualities; after saidaccessing the stored preferred voice qualities, said computer modifyingresponses to the user to be presented to the user, said modifyingcomprising generating the modified responses, using voice generationfunctions of the telephonic response system, such that voice qualitiesin the generated modified responses match the accessed preferred voicequalities; and said computer providing the modified responses to theuser at the telephone.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein said storingthe preferred voice qualities comprises storing voice qualitiescomprising pacing of speech expressed as a time rate of speech text,volume of speech expressed as speech loudness, and gender of speechexpressed as male or female, and wherein the method comprisesdetermining the gender of speech from a range of sound wave frequency ofthe responses received from the user to said querying.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the method further comprises: after said storing thepreferred voice qualities, said computer accessing the stored preferredvoice qualities; after said accessing the stored preferred voicequalities, said computer modifying responses to the user to be presentedto the user, said modifying comprising generating the modifiedresponses, using voice generation functions of the telephonic responsesystem, such that voice qualities in the generated modified responsesmatch the accessed preferred voice qualities; and said computerproviding the modified responses to the user at the telephone.
 11. Acomputer system, said computer system comprising a computer, saidcomputer configured to perform a method for improving satisfaction of auser at a user machine, said method comprising: said computer promptinga user at the user machine to select a language usage pattern preferencefrom a plurality of language usage pattern preference choicesrespectively comprising a plurality of text passages, each text passageexpressing different text; after said prompting, said computer receivingfrom the user machine a language usage pattern preference selected bythe user from the plurality of language usage pattern preferencechoices; and said computer storing, in a user profile of the userlocated in a database accessible to the computer, a flag indicative ofthe selected language usage pattern preference.
 12. The computer systemof claim 11, wherein each text passage comprises a different one or morepersonal pronouns not comprised by any other text passage of theplurality of text passages.
 13. The computer system of claim 11, whereinthe plurality of language usage pattern preference choices consist ofthree language usage pattern preference choices respectively comprisingthree text passages.
 14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein themethod further comprises: after said storing the flag, said computerascertaining, from the stored flag, the selected language usage patternpreference.
 15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the computer islocated at a web site, wherein the user machine is separated from theweb site by a web network, and wherein the method further comprises:said computer detecting an attempt by the user machine to access the website via the web network, wherein said prompting is in response to saiddetecting.
 16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the methodfurther comprises: after said storing the flag, said computerascertaining, from the stored flag, the selected language usage patternpreference; after said ascertaining, said computer modifying textcontent to be presented to the user, said modifying comprising applyinggrammatical rules to the ascertained language usage pattern preference;and said computer providing the modified text content to the usercomputer for presentation to the user.
 17. The computer system of claim11, wherein the user machine is a telephone, and wherein the methodfurther comprises: said computer querying the user at the telephone todetermine preferred voice qualities while the computer is engaged intelephone communication with the user via the telephone; said computerreceiving, from the user at the telephone, responses to said querying;said computer determining from the responses received from the user,using voice recognition functions of the telephonic response system, thepreferred voice qualities; and said computer storing, in the userprofile, the preferred voice qualities determined from the responsesreceived from the user.
 18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein themethod further comprises: after said storing the preferred voicequalities, said computer accessing the stored preferred voice qualities;after said accessing the stored preferred voice qualities, said computermodifying responses to the user to be presented to the user, saidmodifying comprising generating the modified responses, using voicegeneration functions of the telephonic response system, such that voicequalities in the generated modified responses match the accessedpreferred voice qualities; and said computer providing the modifiedresponses to the user at the telephone.
 19. The computer system of claim17, wherein said storing the preferred voice qualities comprises storingvoice qualities comprising pacing of speech expressed as a time rate ofspeech text, volume of speech expressed as speech loudness, and genderof speech expressed as male or female, and wherein the method comprisesdetermining the gender of speech from a range of sound wave frequency ofthe responses received from the user to said querying.
 20. The computersystem of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises: after saidstoring the preferred voice qualities, said computer accessing thestored preferred voice qualities; after said accessing the storedpreferred voice qualities, said computer modifying responses to the userto be presented to the user, said modifying comprising generating themodified responses, using voice generation functions of the telephonicresponse system, such that voice qualities in the generated modifiedresponses match the accessed preferred voice qualities; and saidcomputer providing the modified responses to the user at the telephone.